Harlem girls win preseason bowling tournament

CHERRY VALLEY — Harlem girls bowling team repeated as preseason champions aided by the production of three newcomers in Johanna Craig, Sarah Grable and Meredith McNally on Friday at The Cherry Bowl.

Brenda Young

CHERRY VALLEY — Harlem girls bowling team repeated as preseason champions aided by the production of three newcomers in Johanna Craig, Sarah Grable and Meredith McNally on Friday at The Cherry Bowl.

“They have been very receptive to what we have been trying to teach them in practice,” said Harlem coach Jim Heathscott, whose team tallied a 3,989 pinfall to win the 16-team event. “Obviously, it showed today. They retained it and made it happen here.”

Craig and Grable bowled on JV last season, averaging 150 and 141 respectively.
While Grable said competing in her first varsity tournament was “nerve-wracking,” Craig said she tried to think differently.

“It was fun,” said Craig, who bowled a 529 three-game series. “It was like it was on JV, just different people.”

The Huskies outlasted Jefferson by 195 pins for the title. Harlem seniors Sammi Hagerman (634), K’Lynn Lawver (627) and junior Lindsey Anderson (602) carried the team as all three bowlers finished in the top seven in three-game series.

McNally said having Hagerman, Anderson and Lawver there has helped to calm their nerves. Last year, all three bowlers helped lead the Huskies to the girls state bowling championship.

“It was scary at first,” said McNally, who opened the day with a 133 game. “You really didn’t know what to expect. Having them there kind of helped loosen us up a bit.”

Harlem led the tournament after three regular games with a 2,920 series. After three games, the teams competed in a six-game Baker format, which calls for different bowlers to participate in different frames within each game.

Freeport’s Kylee Strohecker finished first with a 678 three-game series, while Hononegah’s Darby Pawelski led the field with a 264 high game.

The Blue Thunder edged Freeport by three points (4,426-4,423) led by two top-10 finishers. Graf took fourth individually after three games with a 688 series, while Dylan Bougher went 679 for ninth.

North, which best finish at the tournament was fourth in 2009, took a 112-pin lead over Freeport after three games. Despite Freeport outpacing North 1,279-1,170 through six Baker games, the Blue Thunder had enough for the win.

“Trevor striking out in the 10th is what we needed and it put us over the top,” North first-year coach Larry Butterfield said.

Graf said the Blue Thunder’s quick start also was key.

“Our first goal was to start out with a big bang,” said Graf, who had a 279 high game.“We wanted to get in front of everyone and get into the lead and stay consistent.”